Every city has its unspoken rules: not hard and fast laws, but an intricate set of manners that mark out the city dwellers from the visitors. It’s called local etiquette and if you want to be part of the pack, you’d better learn how to conduct yourself! With this is mind, online pet boutique ollyandtibbs.com has created A London Dog’s Guide To Tube Etiquette, listing the top dos and don’ts for dogs when travelling on the London Underground.
A London Dog’s Guide To Tube Etiquette can also be found online at:
ollyandtibbs.com/dog-tube-etiquette and is part of their ongoing series on travelling with your pets.
A London Dog’s Guide To Tube Etiquette
Stay on your lead (or in your box)
It’s not that you’re not to be trusted, it’s just OH LOOK! HUGE MOUSE!
Don’t sit on the seats
You may get the pick of the seats in your house, but you’re better off sitting nicely on the floor of the tube car. You have four legs to spread your weight, whereas measly humans only have two on which to carry themselves, the shopping bags, the briefcases, the laptop . . .
You must be carried on escalators (no matter how big you are)
Let’s face it, as a species the static stairs scared and confused you for the first few months of your life. You’re not to be trusted around moving stairs. Plus it’s the best thing ever watching a German Shepherd getting carried like a furry toddler.
Look adorable and cheer up fellow passengers
As a dog, you enjoy the exalted status of being permitted to make eye contact with fellow passengers. Use this power to make their day better. Eye contact and a tail wag will let them know that you’d like some love, but do wait for an invitation before getting closer – remember that you can be terrifying to some humans. TERRIFYING!
Don’t show off your licking skills
As efficient as it is to use that dead time between stops to have a good clean, your fellow passengers don’t want to see it. You also run the risk of inducing envy in some passengers by showing off your flexibility and reach.
No trumping
Not cute in these tight confines! You can look as adorably surprised as you like, but that’s not going to get you off the hook – best case scenario is that your human gets the blame, but this could mean a treats-dry-spell . . . bad times.
No Romancing
Your eyes meet through the maze of commuters’ legs; she’s got the most beautiful, glossy coat and she smells delicious – like marrowbone and jelly. You’ll probably never see her again, but DOWN BOY! (Also applicable to bags, suitcases and human legs.) As well as disturbing fellow passengers, you run the risk of having puppies named ‘Clapham North’, ‘Cockfosters’ and ‘Heathrow Terminal 4’.
Oliver Helm, one of the founding directors of Olly & Tibbs explains the purpose behind the guide:
“We want to encourage pet owners to spend more time with their pets. Dogs in particular are happiest when they are with their pack of humans whether it be at home, or out and about, but pet owners may worry about the regulations regarding pets and public transport . Our Pet Travel section is just the first in a planned series of information guides for pet owners to help them spend more quality time with their pets.”
